At one time or another every cat has a bout of vomiting or diarrhea. Usually they have eaten something disagreeable, eaten too much or too fast, are overly excited or nervous, have hairballs, or their body is reacting to any of a number of other non-serious conditions.

If your cat is not showing other signs of illness, you can save yourself a trip to the vet if you wait 12 hours and do the following:

Take away all food and water so that the irritated intestinal tract can settle down. Nothing makes a vomiting cat vomit more than eating a large meal or drinking a large amount of water. You may allow the cat to drink very small amounts, and in this short time, if your cat is otherwise healthy, you don't have to worry about dehydration. If the diarrhea resolves, after 24 hours, you may give your cat very small amounts of a bland food, such as drained, cooked hamburger or chicken mixed with an equal amount of cooked rice.

Observe your cat closely. Is behavior and activity otherwise normal? Think about and try to identify the cause of the problem. Could your cat have eaten something (like grass or a plant, garbage, or a dead animal) that upset her digestive system? Has your cat been wormed lately? Watch how your cat vomits or eliminates so you can describe it to your veterinarian if symptoms persist. Examine the stool or vomit. Collect samples if you believe you will need to take your cat in.